Last week during my first foray into the Beaverton farmers market I found some gorgeous rhubarb and some perfectly ripe early strawberries. One of my favorite things to do with rhubarb is turn it into a compote. It is tangy, sweet and versatile.

Even better than rhubarb? Strawberry Rhubarb. One of life’s perfect marriages. Like peanut butter and chocolate or marshmallow and graham crackers or pickles and mustard. What, is that last one just me? You haven’t tried a good cuban sandwich, have you. Oh, idea for a post!

Anyway, creating a compote is super easy and quick. What do you do with a compote you ask? Anything you want. You can eat it straight from a bowl, pour it over ice cream, or make a dessert with it. A crisp or a cobbler or even some cheesecake or cupcakes. Like I said, versatile.

You are going to start by slicing up your rhubarb and strawberries into bite-sized pieces. Then you throw them in a pot with just enough water to cover the bottom. Cover the pot and bring to a slow simmer. Uncover the pot. Mix every few minutes until the fruit starts to break down and you get a kind of thick, chunky syrup.

You are going to need to taste it to add in any additional sweetness it may need. I use regular table sugar, but my mom likes equal *shudder*. You can also use agave nectar or stevia or any kind of sweetener you’d like. Just make sure to add a little at a time and taste. You want the tart from the rhubarb to come through strong and rhubarb-like, and you want to taste the sweetness of the strawberries.

Remember, you can always add, but never subtract.

Strawberry Rhubarb Compote

Ingredients:

About 1 lb Strawberries

3 stalks rhubarb

1/4 cup water (approximately)

Up to 1/3 cup sugar (you shouldn’t need near this much)

Directions:

Wash strawberries and rhubarb

cut into bite-sized pieces

Place into a small pot with water

Cover and bring to a boil

Uncover and reduce heat to a slow simmer (medium-low)

Cook about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally

Once the fruit has broken down somewhat and created a thick syrup, remove from heat and add sugar a tablespoon at a time. Taste after every addition